Pratt Employees Take Buyouts; Layoffs Still Necessary

About 575 U.S. employees of Pratt & Whitney left their jobs Monday after accepting a buyout that the company offered in May, according to a memo sent Monday to employees from Pratt President David Hess.

The company, which confirmed the departures, anticipates that involuntary reductions such as layoffs will be necessary after this round of voluntary job cuts.

Pratt & Whitney, a division of Hartford-based United Technologies Corp. with about 10,000 employees in the state, declined to give a breakdown of how many of those taking buyouts were Connecticut employees.

The buyouts "and the restructuring actions that follow," Hess said, "reflect our ongoing effort to respond to global economic challenges that affect our business. Although our future is genuinely bright, we face near-term financial challenges as we ramp up to deliver on customer commitments."

New business for the East Hartford manufacturer is still a few years off. Major programs such as the Joint Strike Fighter and the company's PurePower geared turbofan engine have yet to reach production levels, as older engine programs, such as the military's F-22, have wound down.

Hess, in the memo said: "As we accept the departure of so many valued contributors to our success, it is an appropriate time to reflect on the legacy these valuable employees leave behind. The hard work, loyalty and impressive contributions of all our employees are highly valued and appreciated by Pratt & Whitney leadership, your colleagues and our customers."

United Technologies has said in regulatory filings that it expects to shave 3,000 jobs this year through layoffs, early retirement or attrition. It also plans to vacate 1.85 million square feet of facilities.

In total, the company expects to cut 7,000 jobs and close to 2.5 million square feet of space in its two-year restructuring plan, which began at the start of 2012 and is expected to conclude by the end of this year. About 4,000 jobs were cut last year.

At the end of 2012, UTC employed about 218,000 people at 4,000 locations in 71 countries.